Enhancing URDF Model

[exo-core]

I spent some time the last days creating an enhanced URDF description of the Azure based on some actual meshes, as well as adding plugin settings for Gazebo simulation.

Details:

• Created a new URDF descriptions and meshes derived from the CAD model available at Azure-Kinect-Sensor-SDK (MIT license)
• The meshes were manually optimized in Blender. I removed the hole pattern in the sensor housing to reduce the number of vertices, but kept a few ones to mark the positions of the microphones.
• Included a simplified mesh version for collision model
• The model base is centered on the backmost tripod screw and includes additional coordinate frames for the RGB camera, IR camera and gyro according to the hardware specifications.
• The new URDF model located in a new file urdf/azure_kinect_new.urdf.xacro, while leaving the old one untouched for compatibility
• Gazebo sim settings are made optional

• Usage example:

  <xacro:include filename="$(find azure_kinect_ros_driver)/urdf/azure_kinect_new.urdf.xacro" />
  
  <xacro:azure_kinect prefix="" parent="tripod_mount" gazebo="true">
  <origin xyz="0 0 0" rpy="0 0 0" />
  </xacro:azure_kinect>

The changes can be found in my fork of the Azure ROS driver. So far I tested the changes only on Ubuntu and ROS1, but I guess they should also work for ROS2, since far as I know there were no changes to the URDF format.

So long story short: Please let me know whether there is a general interest in creating a PR.

[ooeygui]

This looks beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I would definitely have an interest in reviewing a PR.